Henley's update

I now have a first draft of six chapters of Henley's Ricotta. With over 11,000 words so far and barely a quarter of the story written, I think the word count may hit novel status afterall.

There are new characters which have added to the pace and chaos that I have set out to achieve. I often think of the novels of Tom Sharpe famed for Riotous Assembly, Porterhouse Blue and the Wilt series plus many more (I've read them all) as the benchmark that I strive to aim for.

With Get Writing 2012 less than a month away, I think I have done enough to make my pitch to an agent. I need to write a synopsis, a log line and rehearse what I'm going to say. I don't think there will be anybody signed up on the strength of a very brief meeting at a conference, but it is exposure and the best I can hope for is to be given the names of some contacts that might be willing to take a look in a more conventional manner. http://www.vwc.org.uk/getwriting2012.php

Get Writing 2012

Is anybody going to Get Writing 2012 on February 11th?  http://www.vwc.org.uk/getwriting2012.php

This will be the third time I've attended and because it is such a great motivator for me and an event where one can network, make contacts and get oneself known. There is a short story competition, you can pitch to an agent or publisher (book your pitch early as places are limited) seminars and workshops and there is lunch is included in the booking fee. If you are attending, I might see you there. Just look out for the chap with a red face.

The venue is at a good location with easy rail and motorway links: at the DeHavilland Campus, Hatfield, Herts. 

I'm up to chapter 4 with the Henley project. I want to increase the pace to that of a farce with a touch of slapstick but have some meaningful dialogue. I'm reasonably happy with how the story is developing. Writing Henley as a novel instead of a script has given me more latitude  to release me from the constraints of having to share the storytelling with a director and cast. This leaves me more scope for some exposition (but not too much... let's leave some of it for the reader to fill in the gaps).
However, I still have much work to do on Henley's Ricotta the stage play, which I hope to have ready by Spring.